


A Different Path

by Garak



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action, Angst, Atlas Setting, Drama & Romance, F/F, Oneshot, Whiterose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 08:54:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20579837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Garak/pseuds/Garak
Summary: Jinn has laid out a path for Ruby to follow, one that Weiss refuses to accept.





	A Different Path

A Different Path

“Ruby Rose, I forbid it.”

Weiss stood straight with her hands clasped in front in her. She watched Ruby turn back and shrug the heavy duffel bag off her shoulder to land with a thump.

Weiss loathed that bag.

It contained everything Ruby had built up in their short time in Atlas. The even shorter time they spent together.

“We've been over this, Weiss. It's the only way.” Ruby said, walking towards her.

Weiss held a hand palm out to stop Ruby. “Then we find another way.”

“We've been through this, you _agreed_ it was the right thing to do.” Ruby said, raking fingers through her hair.

“I don't want the right thing Ruby, I want you.” Weiss said, head held high. Her eyes prickled, threatening to spill tears. Weiss held steady. She refused to cry in this room again.

Ruby sighed. “You heard Jinn, you were _there_. To beat Salem I _need_ to follow the plan.”

The damned plan.

Weiss regretted coming up with the question to put forth to Jinn. They should have left the stupid lamp down in the well. Let some other fool stumble across it and ruin their life.

“Then we alter the plan.“ Weiss said stubbornly.

Ruby dipped in and grasped her hands. “Weiss, please stop. She was very specific and any major changes put the plan at risk.”

“I don't want you to be with that... that boy!” Weiss said, lip curling in disgust.

Weiss _despised_ that man.

Her stomach twisted with the thought of what was coming next. If the previous generations couldn't defeat the witch, then they need to rely on the next. Weiss mentally cursed Jinn when she smugly laid it out.

“You think Jaune wanted this?” Ruby gently squeezed her hands. “You think I wanted this.” She said softly.

Weiss felt her resolve crumble as silver eyes implored her to let go. Like she promised to.

“Then stay. Please, Ruby.” Weiss begged.

“I can't–“

Weiss leaned in and kissed Ruby firmly, cutting her off. She felt Ruby tense then push back hard into the kiss, lips desperate against her own. Weiss shivered when strong arms wrapped around her and crushed them together, hands sliding up her back as Ruby sought purchase. Weiss own hands found Ruby's hips and slid them up her waist, fingers bumping against the battle scythe folded on her back. A salty tang intermingled with the taste of sweet strawberry lip gloss. Weiss was suddenly aware her cheeks were wet with tears. Ruby had a knack at drawing out what she tried to hide.

Ruby's hands stopped their roaming and pushed on Weiss' shoulders to break the kiss. They both stood there, trembling and breathless.

“I need to go now, Weiss.” Ruby said with a sad smile.

“Then take me with you, please.” Weiss said, reaching up and stroking Ruby's face.

Ruby shook her head. “We have different paths to take. The SDC is yours now and has to be stabilised. _You_ said that.”

A bad excuse.

Weiss knew she couldn't standby passively as events... developed. As what she couldn't have tormented her. She knew Ruby didn't want her there either. A constant reminder of what was lost. A temptation.

Before Weiss could respond further, Ruby lent in and kissed her softly, lips lightly brushing against hers. A lingering tingle remained as Ruby pulled away.

“Goodbye, Weiss.” Ruby said and turned to leave.

Weiss tried to follow, to reach out, but her traitorous legs wobbled as her strength was stolen away. She collapsed onto the polished marble floor, knees striking the stone hard as she made no attempt to brace herself or summon aura. Mouth dry, Weiss attempted to speak while Ruby picked up her bag.

“I love you!” She managed to gasp out.

Ruby paused in the doorway. Hope bloomed and died in the short instance before her love walked out without looking back.

Hot, fat tears streamed down Weiss' cheeks as her sobs echoed in a room devoid of it's cheer. The knick-knacks and posters that had Ruby cheekily placed, now swept away. The splash of red of Ruby's cloak pooled on the floor or draped haphazardly over the nearest surface, gone. Everything was perfect matching décor of white and icy blues. Like it was before that crimson tornado made her home here, before it was warm and inviting. Now it was cold again, empty.

Lonely.

Weiss balled her fists as glyphs began to dot the room. With a scream she sent antique furniture tumbling and crashing. Her vanity mirror shattered as it struck the opposite wall. Books bounce off the floor sending pages fluttering through the air as shards of porcelain from smashed vases pinged off Weiss' aura.

There was a clatter of metal against stone as something landed in front of her. Weiss looked up and found Myrtenaster laying before her. She reached out and clutched at the rapier's grip, drawing strength from the familiar feeling of cool steel.

_I won't!_

Weiss scrambled upright, stumbling for the door.

_I refuse!_

Heels clicked faster as her pace increased.

_She's mine!_

Striding down the hallway her face grim as she searched for her quarry .

_I won't allow it! I refuse to accept it! Ruby is mine!_

Weiss found herself at the top of the impressive staircase leading down into the expansive, marble clad foyer of Schnee Manor. Ruby was almost at the opened double doors, her sister Yang waiting outside. A rotation of Myrtenaster's chamber and a of flick of her wrist and Weiss summoned a thick sheet of ice over the main entrance. Ruby spun around eyes wide as she gracefully descended the stairs.

“Weiss, what are you doing?” Ruby asked, warily holding up her palms up as Weiss stopped before her and adopted an aggressive stance.

“I don't want you to leave.” Weiss said, her jaw set and weapon ready.

Ruby's shoulders sagged. “I don't want to go, Weiss. But I need to do this.”

“Need!” Weiss spat, “That's all I hear about! You _need_ to do this? Then _prove_ it! Show me your resolve, Ruby Rose!”

“Weiss, I'm not going to–“

Weiss darted forward, her blade singing as it arced up past Ruby's face. A bright red slash appeared over her right eye. Ruby rigidly raised a hand and carefully touched her face, fingers coming away wet with blood. Weiss remained still, tensed as Ruby stared at her with one eye, unblinking.

A muffled thump and the ice wall behind them shook and cracked. The yellow fist of Yang's prosthetic arm burst through causing the wall to partly collapse with a crash. She stepped through the gap, grumbling as she slipped on the uneven surface.

“What's going on in here?” She asked.

Ruby turned her bloodied face to her sister.

“What the hell?!” Yang exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up.

“It's fine Yang.” Ruby said as she freed her scythe, unfolding it with a snap, “I just have something to prove to Weiss.”

Ruby blurred and Weiss leaned back as the massive war scythe passed mere millimetres from her nose. The follow up kick caught her off guard and Weiss flipped back with the momentum. Glyphs sprung up with a crystalline whine, enclosing around her as she recovered. She watched Ruby stalk around the outside.

“You need to do better than that.” Weiss said, raising her rapier again.

Ruby said nothing and stopped her pacing, scythe held low and menacing. A spin of the cylinder with a thrust of her rapier and the glyph nearest to Ruby erupted with a gout of flame. Spinning her scythe, Ruby deflected the attack as Weiss took advantage of the momentary distraction. Ducking to Ruby's blind spot she stabbed rapidly only for her opponent to catch her attack with the flat of her crescent blade. Weiss relentlessly continued her close quarter assault, probing for a hole in Ruby's defences and driving her back. The Ruby overextended by a fraction and Weiss took the opportunity in get inside her guard. With a twist of her hips, Ruby allowed the tip of the blade to screech across the metal plate that held Crescent Rose. Weiss had fallen for the bait.

Or so she made Ruby think.

With a flick of her free hand, Weiss gestured with two fingers upward, activating the glyph at their feet. Ruby grunted hard as spikes of ice rammed into her mid counter. Her aura shimmered crimson as the impact sent her sailing and twisting into the air.

_Got her!_

Ruby surprised Weiss. A touch of her semblance and Ruby's momentum halted mid air and Weiss found herself looking directly down the sniper barrel of Ruby's weapon. She fired and Weiss' aura flared bright. A hasty glyph caught the next two shots fired as Ruby dropped down. Still, Weiss found herself on one knee gasping for breath.

Ruby didn't allow for any respite. Jerking herself upright, Weiss barely deflected the first swing and was forced onto the back foot. Ruby causally pushed forward, her scythe a whirlwind. Weiss desperately parried but blow after blow rained down on her. Any attempt to pull away was punished. There was no time call upon her glyphs as the scythe moved with impossible speed. Weiss found only grim determination in Ruby's expression as she continued to reap.

A strange calm descended on Weiss, the heavy weight she carried in her stomach dissolving away. Ruby was resolved. She would stride down the path set before her, unwavering. Any distraction would be cast aside, any diversions ignored. Only the goal mattered. She knew Ruby would see this through.

A slap of the scythe against the inside of her wrist sent Weiss' rapier spinning away. A hard follow up blow to her shoulder sent Weiss to her knees. The head of Ruby's scythe snapped back into reaper mode and she spun. Weiss smiled and closed her eyes.

She let go.

The bite of the final blow didn't come. Weiss' hair ruffled as she felt wind cut above her head. She heard the clang of metal striking a distance wall. She rocked back as something warm and soft crashed into her that smelled of roses and coppery blood. Weiss opened her eyes to find Ruby's arms wrapped her, hugging tightly and wailing into her shoulder. She gingerly rubbed Ruby's back as tears soaked through the thin fabric of her dress.

“Ruby, it's fine now. I know you can do this, you're strong.” Weiss said soothingly.

“I don't want to!” Ruby hiccuped through her crying.

Weiss frowned. “What happened to different paths?”

Ruby leaned back to look her in the eyes.

“You are my path.” She said with a teary smile.

Weiss' heart pounded in her chest as she processed Ruby's words. She reached up and gently traced a finger beside the wound on Ruby's face, pulling away when she winced.

“I'm so sorry, I didn't know what else to do.” Weiss sobbed, face screwing up, “I wasn't strong enough to let go.”

Ruby pressed her forehead against Weiss'. “I didn't want you to.”

Weiss didn't know how long they stayed like that, silently crying and clinging to each other. The comfortable closeness was sorely missed. A impatient cough roused her and Weiss looked up at her smirking team mate.

“Now that you're proved... this, what's next?” Yang asked.

Weiss and Ruby looked at each other.

“Well,” Ruby started, “First I'm going to do this.”

Weiss squeaked with delight at the sudden kiss before melting into it, pouting when Ruby cut it short.

“Now, we find a new plan. Together.”

Weiss smiled as Ruby stood and offered her a hand. As she was pulled to her feet Weiss found a new purpose, a new resolve wash over her. Giving up a sure win for only the possibility of victory was foolhardy, but with Ruby's hand in her own she knew they couldn't fail.

After all, they had their own path to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was: How far would Ruby go to stay on her path? I wanted to write something that really bit into that theme. And a good action scene. How did I do? Feedback welcome!
> 
> Edit: Fixed some errors, missing words, and smoothed out some wrinkles.


End file.
